Proximity sensor devices (also commonly called touch pads or touch sensor devices) are widely used in a variety of electronic systems. A proximity sensor device typically includes a 2D or 3D sensing region, often demarked by a 2D surface, which uses capacitive, resistive, inductive, optical, acoustic and/or other technology to determine the presence, location and/or motion of one or more fingers, styli, and/or other objects. The proximity sensor device, together with one or more finger(s) and/or other objects, can be used to provide an input to the electronic system. For example, proximity sensor devices are used as input devices for larger computing systems, such as those found integral within notebook computers or peripheral to desktop computers, as well as those found in kiosks and other terminal. Proximity sensor devices are also used in smaller systems, including: handheld system such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), remote controls, communication systems such as wireless telephones and text messaging systems. Increasingly, proximity sensor devices are used in media systems, such as cameras, CD/DVD/MP3 recorders or players, video recorders or players, gaming machines, or other media recorders or players.
Many electronic devices include a display screen used to display information to the user. For example, displays are typically found in computing systems, such as desktop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers or peripheral to computers. Display screens are also included in smaller systems, such as handheld systems such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), remote controls, communication systems such as wireless telephones and text messaging systems. Likewise, display screens are commonly used in media systems, such as CD, DVD, MP3, video, gaming or other media recorders or players.
In these applications the display screen can be used to display a wide variety of information to the user. For example, a typical display screen can be used to display graphical and/or textual elements to the user. For example, the display screen can be used to display a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computing device. In such a device the interface may include elements such as windows, icons, menu bars, scroll bars, navigation elements, etc. The display screen can also be used to display media to the user, such as showing pictures, playing videos, or providing gaming images.
One issue with a display screen is the orientation of the displayed information in the display screen. In many devices it is desirable to facilitate user selected orientation changes in the display. For example, in a tablet computer a user may wish the display to be oriented in a “vertical” or “portrait” configuration when being used to view a text document, but may desire a “horizontal” or “landscape” configuration when being used to view a spreadsheet. As another example, in a photo device a user may wish the display to be oriented in a “vertical” or “portrait” configuration in some cases and “horizontal” or “landscape” configuration in others, depending on the picture viewed. In other cases it may be desirable to allow a user to “flip” the orientation 180 degrees, such as for a tablet computer or handheld device placed on a table, as to allow other viewers on the other side of the table to see the display in the correct orientation for them. In all these cases, it is desirable to facilitate user control of the orientation changes in the display. Thus, there is a continuing need for improved techniques for facilitating orientation changes in electronic devices.